Smart Growth for Conservatives

James Bacon, writing for Bacon’s Rebellion, has a great post making the conservative case for smart growth.

There is nothing intrinsically liberal or conservative about the idea of creating more efficient human settlement patterns that expand the range of housing and transportation options while reducing the cost of government. Rather than getting stuck defending an indefensible status quo, conservatives need to articulate their own vision in a manner consistent with conservative principles.

Good urban design makes sense regardless of your perspective. We need to get past the partisan hang ups and address the issues sprawl creates. There may be different methods and strategies employed, but I think we can get to solutions from both sides of the problem. Good urban design is for everyone!

Further down, he summarizes the conservative analysis of the state of real estate:

In summary, real estate and the transportation sector that serves it is one of the most heavily regulated and subsidized sectors of the American economy. Only health care, education and defense can compete in the degree to which government intrudes. Not surprisingly, like those sectors, real estate is among the most dysfunctional sectors of the American economy.

I recommend the entire article for its insightful analysis of the problems with the current system and strategies for addressing those issues - all from the conservative point of view.